Overview
When trying to view someone’s TikTok profile, you may sometimes get a message saying “Couldn’t find this account.” This can be caused by several different reasons, and doesn’t necessarily mean the user deleted their account.
Some common causes for not being able to find a TikTok account include the account being deleted or deactivated, you being blocked by the user, the account getting banned from TikTok, or the account switching to private. There can also be technical issues like shadowbanning or geo-blocking that make the account unavailable in certain regions.
This article will explore the various reasons you may get the “account not found” message on TikTok and provide troubleshooting tips to access blocked or restricted accounts.
Possible Causes
One of the most common reasons you may not be able to find someone’s TikTok account is because the account was deleted or deactivated by the user. According to Statista, approximately 18 million TikTok accounts were removed during Q2 2023 due to suspicion of being fake or spam accounts operated by bots (source). Users may choose to delete their accounts for a variety of reasons, such as wanting more privacy, losing interest in the platform, or having a negative experience on TikTok.
Users can also deactivate their accounts temporarily if they want to take a break from TikTok without losing their profile and posts. A deactivated account will disappear from search and will not show up to other users. According to TikTok’s Community Guidelines Enforcement report, the platform proactively removed 93% of videos violating policies within 24 hours of posting (source). Therefore, violations of TikTok’s rules could also lead to accounts being deactivated or deleted.
Account Was Deleted
One possibility is that the user chose to delete their own TikTok account. This would result in the account completely disappearing from the platform. According to a blog post from Push.fm, some TikTok creators have logged into the app to find they’ve been logged out and cannot log back in, indicating their account was likely banned or deleted.
There are a few reasons a user may decide to delete their own TikTok account, such as:
– Wanting a break from the platform or social media in general
– Concerns over privacy or data collection on TikTok
– Receiving harassment or unwanted attention on TikTok
– General dissatisfaction with the app
– Deciding to focus time elsewhere or be more productive
If someone chose to delete their own account, they would need to go through TikTok’s account recovery process to potentially reinstate it. However, if the deletion was intentional, the user may not attempt to recover the account at all.
Account Was Deactivated
One of the most common reasons you may not be able to find someone’s TikTok account is because it was deactivated by TikTok. According to TikTok’s Account Safety page, TikTok may deactivate accounts that violate their Terms of Service or Community Guidelines.
Some of the violations that could lead to account deactivation include:
- Posting illegal, dangerous or inappropriate content
- Impersonation or intellectual property infringement
- Spam, scams or commercially deceptive content
- Harassment, bullying or hate speech
If TikTok deactivated your account, you would no longer be able to access it and your username would not show up in search results. TikTok may give you an opportunity to appeal the deactivation if you believe it was a mistake.
Blocked By The User
One possibility if you can’t find someone’s TikTok account is that you have been blocked by that user from viewing their account. When a TikTok user blocks you, it prevents you from viewing any of their content or interacting with their profile in any way.
Users have the option to block other accounts on TikTok by going to that user’s profile, tapping the three-dot menu icon, and selecting “Block” [1]. This will completely remove the blocked person’s profile and posts from the blocker’s view. You will no longer be able to see their videos on your For You feed or find their account when searching.
So if you suspect you have been blocked, this would explain why you can’t locate someone’s profile anymore. It’s a sign the user has proactively blocked you from their account, meaning you can’t view any of their content unless they decide to unblock you.
Banned From TikTok
One reason a TikTok account may not be visible is if TikTok has banned the account or device from the platform. According to TikTok’s help center, accounts that consistently violate TikTok’s Community Guidelines will be permanently banned.
TikTok bans accounts for serious violations like hate speech, terrorist content, child safety violations, and repeated violations of other guidelines. Banned accounts are unable to access TikTok on that device or with that account. If you try searching for a banned account, it will not show up in search results.
TikTok does not allow appeals for permanent bans given for severe or repeat violations according to their help center. However, if you believe your account was banned by mistake, you can try submitting an appeal to TikTok explaining why you think it was banned incorrectly.
Shadowbanned
One possible reason for not being able to find someone’s TikTok account is if you have been shadowbanned. A shadowban is when TikTok secretly limits the reach of your account without you knowing (source: https://later.com/blog/tiktok-shadowban/). Your videos, likes, comments, and other interactions become restricted. As a result, you may not be able to search for and find certain accounts on TikTok.
Shadowbanning is TikTok’s way of limiting spam, bullying, and other policy-breaking behavior without outright suspending an account. If you suspect your account has been shadowbanned, you won’t receive any notification from TikTok. Clues your account may be shadowbanned include a sudden drop in views, likes, and comments on your videos for no clear reason. Your content may also stop appearing for hashtags you use. Overall reach and discovery of your profile is limited in the shadowbanned state (source: https://megadigital.ai/en/blog/tiktok-shadowban/).
In a shadowbanned state, your ability to find other accounts – including those you may have previously interacted with – becomes extremely limited. Essentially, TikTok has put your account in a walled off state where you have less visibility into the broader TikTok world. This is done to isolate accounts deemed at risk of policy violation without fully removing their ability to participate on TikTok. If you cannot find someone you previously interacted with, being shadowbanned is one potential cause.
Private Account
One of the most common reasons you may not be able to find someone’s TikTok account is because they have set their account to private. When a TikTok account is set to private, only approved followers can view that account’s videos. According to TikTok’s support article, “Making your account public or private,” users can set their account to private in the app by going to their profile, tapping the menu button, and selecting “Private account.”
So if someone has set their TikTok account to private, you would not be able to view their profile or videos unless they have approved you as a follower. Essentially their account and content is hidden from anyone who is not an approved follower. This is a setting users often enable if they want more control over who can view their videos and profile. So if you cannot seem to find someone on TikTok who you know has an account, it likely means they have set their profile to private.
Geo-Blocking
TikTok restricts access to accounts in certain countries for legal or regulatory reasons. If you are traveling or move to a restricted country, you may no longer be able to access someone’s TikTok account.
Some countries where TikTok access is limited include:
- China
- India
- Indonesia
- Bangladesh
If someone you follow posts a video that appears to be blocked or restricted in your country, it’s likely due to geo-blocking restrictions by TikTok. The account itself may still be public and accessible from other locations.
According to Reddit, TikTok uses geolocation services to enforce country-by-country restrictions, so you may need to use a VPN service to bypass geo-blocking.
Troubleshooting Steps to Locate a Missing TikTok Account
If you can’t find someone’s TikTok account, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try to locate it:
First, make sure you are searching for the exact username, as even small typos can prevent results from showing up. Double check that you have the right spelling and capitalization of the username entered.
Next, try searching the username on Google or other search engines. Sometimes Google indexes TikTok profile pages, so you may be able to find the account that way even if you can’t find it directly on TikTok.
You can also try searching for the user’s name or username on other social media platforms like Instagram or Twitter. Often times people use the same username across multiple sites, so checking other platforms may reveal their TikTok handle.
If you have previously interacted with the user, check your notifications tab on TikTok to see if their comments or messages are still available. This could lead you to their profile.
As a last resort, you can try contacting TikTok support. They may be able to assist in locating a deleted or deactivated account in some cases.
With persistence and checking all avenues, you may eventually uncover why a particular TikTok profile has gone missing.
